Magpie Monday - Blue Period

I think, much like Picasso, I'm going through my Blue Period.  OK, nothing like Picasso really, he painted great works of art, I simply buy second-hand stuff.  But it has mostly been blue recently for some reason I'm unable to fathom.

I desperately wanted to buy a huge blue abstract oil painting at the auction on Saturday.  I am no expert in modern art, in fact if it hadn't been for the artist's scribble of the date and title on the back, I'd have no doubt have hung it upside down if it had come into my possession.

However, the old man gave me strict instructions (blah blah blah) to stick to a limit of £30 because apparently we're on some kind of austerity drive.  I dropped out at £45!  Such a shame because it went for £50, and I even saw the guy who won it afterwards and told him it would look much nicer in my house than his.  "Aww sorry love," he said.  "If you really want it, you can buy it off me for a oner"...  What???  Why would I stop bidding at £45 if I had £100 to spend on it?  Odd little man.

Anyway, on to the things I have managed to acquire.  First up, these Devon Pottery pieces.  I have a few of these already secreted somewhere in boxes in the loft. 

They don't match perfectly, but I still think they'll make a nice little display and I love how they remind me of the seaside and childhood holidays.

I found this little blue and white pomander in a charity shop for a quid.  I'd never gone a bundle on pomanders, but since seeing how great the collection looked over on Kat Got the Cream, I've started giving them a second look.  It has to be said, I'm still not keen on the crinoline lady patterns, but this blue and white one was rather attractive.  Since I'm trying to cut down on my addiction to plug-in air fresheners, this will come in very handy once I've filled it with something suitably perfumed.  I'm just hoping this doesn't turn into another collection/obsession.

This next little lot I rescued from my mum.  She's been on a bit of a clear-out mission recently so I spotted these in the 'get rid of' box and snaffled them.  Perfect for making a cake stand I reckon - if I can be brave and actually drill holes in them.

I nabbed these three blue stoneware bottles for £2 from a boot sale.  The guy selling them had the most amazing stall, and I was gutted to have missed a stoneware bed warmer, in pristine condition, and in the shape of a Gladstone bag.  They came from the same stall I got my final offering from...

I couldn't show you my blue bits without showing you something from my macabre shelf.  To be precise it's my kitchen window.  The display is all a bit weird, and will probably result in nightmares for Ruby for years to come, but frankly I think it detracts slightly from next door's guttering.

The porcelain dolls head and single blue glass eye were purchased from the same seller as the stoneware bottles. A very animated Polish man at a local car boot sale.  He was fascinating and I talked for ages to him.  His English wasn't great and my Polish is non-existent, but we understood each other.  He's a 'digger' and had a vast array of treasure he'd dug up from the nearby brick pits.  He told me his house was full of various things he'd discovered and his wife was now making him sell bits off.  He was incredibly knowledgeable about his items and knew the book prices of all the various bottles, pot lids and glassware he'd dug.  However, he was selling at rock bottom prices and let me have the dolls head for £3.  I find her incredibly creepy, and I don't think I actually like her at all, but I had to have her!  I picked up the glass doll's eye, and he let me have it for nothing.  Aren't I lucky?!

They sit next to my little blue-grey monkey ornament.  He's rather sweet and I think offsets the other horrors somewhat.

Magpie Monday is your chance to share your second-hand treasures and to encourage others to re-use and re-cycle.  If you've bought or acquired anything pre-owned and given it a new life, I'd love you to grab the badge, link back here and add your blog post or twitpic to the linky below.  Look forward to seeing what you've got! x


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